Memories of a Mother
by Hpmad
Summary: Molly Weasley looks back on Ron and Hermione's relationship on their wedding day. Includes flashbacks and a few references to Molly and Arthur's own relationship. First fic! Please Review!
1. The Beginning

It was 5 o' clock in the morning and Molly Weasley was sitting at the dining table in the kitchen in the Burrow, wearing her old purple, quilted dressing gown and holding a steaming of mug of tea in her hands. In just over 6 hour's time, her youngest son would be marrying his childhood sweetheart.

Molly smiled at the thought. She could think of no-one better to be her daughter-in-law than Hermione Granger. Of course, she had always thought of Hermione as a second daughter anyway.

Molly could hardly believe how fast her children had grown up, particularly Ron, although she supposed that having gone through so much with Harry and Hermione in the battle against Voldemort may have had a lot to do with it. Nevertheless, she was surprised at how much he had matured over the past few years. In her eyes, Ron was still her little baby boy.

She was happy for him though; happy at how his life had turned out for him. Ron was now reserve Keeper for the Chudley Cannons, something he had dreamed about since his early childhood, and was well on his way to becoming the number one keeper. Molly knew how things could have been much worse.

"Don't think about that Molly," she thought. "Don't put a dampener on what should be the happiest day of his and Hermione's lives." Instead, she focused on Ron and Hermione's relationship.

Molly smiled to herself. She had always known that Ron and Hermione belonged together, ever since Ron had come home from his first year at Hogwarts. Yes, he had talked about Harry and the adventures they had had together, but no one could stop him when he talked about Hermione Granger. He talked about how she was such a know-it-all, how bossy she was and how she was always ordering Harry and Himself around. They were exactly like her and her husband Arthur.

Molly took a sip of her tea and sighed. It was amazing how much she saw of herself in Hermione when she was younger. Molly had also obsessed over rules and homework and was always bossing her friends and Arthur in particular, to get it done on time. However, her grades were never as good as Hermione's, the girl was especially intelligent. Ron however, was the carbon copy of his father, Arthur. Arthur too had always left his homework until the last minute and he also had a particular knack at annoying Molly. He had also been stubbornly slow at admitting his feelings for her.

Molly had known ever since the summer before Ron's fifth year that his feelings for Hermione had changed. He had returned home in quite a temper and was often seen roaming around the Burrow muttering under his breath. Quite a few times Molly had caught snatches of his mutterings which, more often than not, were about Viktor Krum. When the family had moved to Grimmauld place to stay with the order, and Hermione came to stay, Molly had watched Ron closely. He often tried to slip in Krum in conversations with Hermione, and scowled whenever she mentioned him. Molly knew that he was jealous, but he just didn't realise it yet.

Things had changed in their fifth year though. Molly knew that the three friends had come to a deep and silent understanding about what had happened that night in June in the department of Mysteries, but Ron and Hermione in particular had seemed to come to an understanding about each other. She suspected being alone in the hospital wing together gave them an opportunity to really talk together without Harry and explore their feelings for each other. This was evident when it came to say goodbye to each other at Kings Cross.

Both had seen Harry off, and now it was their own turn to say goodbye to each other. Molly couldn't help but hear what they were saying.

"Well I, err, guess, err I should say goodbye now," Hermione said hesitantly looking around at her parents.

"Er yeah, I suppose," Ron said, not looking at Hermione, but at his feet instead.

Molly observed the awkwardness between the two. After a short silence Ron spoke again. He seemed to be deliberating over something.

"Er, Hermione?"

"Yes Ron?"

"Erm I was wondering, well if you want to that is, err if you would er, and if your parents say you can, if you want to er, come and stay during the holidays. You know, just the two of us, before Harry arrives,"

Molly noticed that Ron's ears had turned rather pink. "A sure sign he likes her," she thought.

She glanced at Hermione whose cheeks had flushed.

"Oh Ron, that would be wonderful. I would really like that," Hermione replied, flushing even more.

"Brilliant!" said Ron eagerly.

Another silence passed, before Mr Granger came over.

"Er Hermione dear, I don't want to break you away from Ron, but I think its time we got going,"

"Oh, ok Dad I'll be over in a minute," Hermione said rather disheartened.

Molly watched as Hermione eyes followed her father, with a sad look on her face.

"Well I guess this is it then Ron. I'll write to you about staying at your house ok?"

"O.k. then," said Ron with a bitter disappointment in his voice.

Molly watched amused, as the pair cautiously approached each other as if scared of being near one another. Finally Ron reached forwards and pulled Hermione into what looked like a bone-cracking hug, and buried his face into her bushy hair. Molly could just about make out three words.

"I'll miss you."

Hermione looked up into Ron's eyes and was startled to see tears in her eyes. "Silly boy hugged her too hard," she thought. Ron seemed to notice.

"Oh I'm sorry Hermione, did I hurt you?" he said.

"No, no, it's just, I'll miss you too," and with that she stood on tip toe and kissed Ron on the cheek, lingering there slightly.

"Goodbye Ron," she said, and she made her way over to her parents and waved at him as she walked out the train station, Ron waving back at her.

Molly smiled. "It's started," she thought. "Only a matter of time before they admit their feelings for each other." She wouldn't say anything about the kiss to Ron; he would only get embarrassed any deny anything was going on. She looked over to the twins who were both wearing identical, evil grins and looking as though Christmas had come early. Molly shot them a stern look which plainly told them 'Don't' and their smiles immediately vanished.

Back home though, Ron seemed different. He was much more withdrawn, spending lots of time alone in his bedroom, and would not wear anything other than long sleeve tops. Molly knew he was embarrassed about the deep welts on his arms, and as much as she tried to reassure him that he had nothing to be embarrassed about, he often responded by raising his voice, saying that she didn't understand how ugly he felt. As well as that, he also had another problem to contend with, nightmares. She knew what was causing them, having received a letter from Madame Pomfrey before term finished, explaining how the brains had affected him. Ron often woke up in the middle of the night screaming and thrashing around in his bed often shouting 'Stop it!', 'I'm not doing it, you can't make me!' She had warned everyone, particularly the twins, not to tease him about them. On the contrary, Fred and George were the ones who went up to his room and tried to comfort him.

However, when Hermione came to stay, Molly noticed a reduction in the amount of nightmares he had, although she couldn't work out why. Perhaps it was just Hermione's presence, or the fact that Ron didn't want to appear as weak in front of her.

A couple of weeks in to Hermione's stay, Molly discovered why. Ron had woken up from a particularly bad nightmare screaming as usual. She had been coming back from the bathroom anyway so she decided to go up and check on him to see if everything was alright. Just as Molly approached his room, she noticed the door was ajar. "Someone must have gone in," she thought. As she peered through the crack, expecting to see Fred and George, she got the shock of her life. Instead of Fred and George comforting Ron, Hermione was instead. Ron was sobbing into her shoulder whilst Hermione was gently rocking him backwards and forwards, stroking the back of his head, and muttering soothing words of comfort. Not wanting to intrude on this sweet scene, she made her way away from the door, but something she heard Hermione say drew her back.

"Whatever happens, I'll always be here for you. I, I love you Ron Weasley,"

Molly backed against the wall. Did Hermione say she really loved Ron? What on earth would Ron say? Instinct drew her back to the door.

"Her, Hermione, I, I, ……," began Ron, before Hermione cut him off.

"I'm sorry Ron, I, I shouldn't of said that, not like that anyway, I thought you had fallen asleep,"

"Hermione, I don't know what to say,"

"It doesn't matter, I, I didn't expect you to feel the same," said Hermione sadly.

There was a creak of bedsprings. Hermione had obviously stood up from the bed. Natural curiosity was drawing Molly outside the door again, peering through the gap.

"Hermione don't leave. I don't know what to say, coz you've just said the words I've been dying to hear since the June," said Ron.

"What, what do you mean?" asked Hermione, sounding like she was holding her breath.

"I mean I feel the same about you Hermione,"

"You, you do? Said Hermione shakily.

"Yes. I think I always have. Why do you think I've been having fewer nightmares? It's because of you. You make them disappear, just by thinking about you. You make my life worth living for, you make me forget about the bad thoughts the brains gave me. I love you Hermione," Ron looked up into Hermione's face, looking for an answer.

Molly gave a hearty sniff and felt tears run down her face. Where did Ron learn to be so romantic? She peered back and saw Hermione throw her arms around Ron, breaking down completely.

"Oh Ron! You don't know how long I've wanted you to say that!" She sobbed through tears of joy.

"Hey. I've wanted to say that to you ever since forth year, when I saw you at the Yule Ball, I never got the chance to say it, but you looked beautiful that night, but you are beautiful to me anyway," Ron said lifting up her chin.

Molly watched as the couple looked each other deep in the eyes. She knew what was coming, and she so desperately wanted to look away, she knew she should not be watching their first kiss, but she could not tear her eyes away from the sight of them.

Both of them were moving in towards each others lips, slowly closing their eyes before they made contact with each others. Hermione tilted her head slightly and fiddled gently with Ron's vivid red hair at the nape of his neck, whilst Ron had snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her closer, gently caressing her jaw line with his thumb. Molly teared her eyes away, feeling more tears fall down her cheeks. It had happened at last, and in one of the most romantic ways it could. She quietly tip-toed away from the room and crept downstairs to her own bedroom, ready to tell Arthur what had happened.


	2. The Proposal

**Memories of a Mother**

**Disclaimer: No I don't own Harry Potter, no matter how much I wish.**

**Chapter 2 – The Proposal**

Molly was brought back to the present day by the creak of the kitchen door. She looked up to see a bleary eyed Hermione standing in the doorway.

"Hermione!" Molly exclaimed, jumping up from the dining table, "What are you doing up so early? You need your sleep dear,"

"I couldn't sleep," Hermione mumbled, shuffling over to the table.

"Excited about later today?" Molly asked enquirely.

"Yes and Nervous," Hermione laughed shakily.

Molly lightly patted Hermione's back. "You have absolutely nothing to worry about dear. Would you like a cup of coffee?"

"Oh if you wouldn't mind Mrs Weasley. I could certainly do with waking up!' the young woman laughed.

Hermione dear, please, call me Molly, your family now," Molly said, as she rose from the table, and started bustling around the worktop making the coffee.

"Sorry, force of habit," Hermione smiled. "It's odd to think that in a few hours I'll be a Mrs Weasley too. I mean there were times when I thought we may never make it, especially during …….,"

Hermione cut off suddenly and Molly stiffened at the worktop. She didn't need to hear the rest of Hermione's sentence to know what she was talking about, it was the very thing she had avoided thinking about half an hour ago.

She turned around and saw tears falling down Hermione's face. Abandoning the coffee, she rushed over to her and enveloped her in a warm hug, whilst Hermione sobbed shakily onto her shoulder.

"I was s-s-s-so close to l-l-losing him! I d-d-d-don't know what I w-w-w-would of done if, if, if….,"

"Shhhhh, it's all over now dear. Just let it all out, you'll feel better," Molly said soothingly, softly stroking the back of Hermione's head.

Molly's heart ached for Hermione. It wasn't fair that Ron and Hermione's courtship was continually disrupted by fights, kidnaps and deaths. Molly remembered how devastated she was herself when she heard the news that her son had been taken captive by Death Eaters, a plan to lure Harry from Hogwarts to Voldemort. The thought that she may never see her youngest son again ate away at her, but the look of grief in Hermione's eyes when she came to stay at the Burrow only added to the pain. The young 18 year old girl was wasting away by the eternal sadness that she may never see her only love again.

As she remembered Molly felt tears welling up in her own eyes and she hugged Hermione tighter, determined to be a source of support. "He destroyed everything," she thought angrily. "Two years on after we finally defeated him, he still manages to wreak every happy moment, but I won't let him this time. I won't let him spoil their beautiful day," Molly swore to herself.

Molly felt a weight lift off her shoulder and pulled herself out of her reverie to see Hermione pulling away from her hug and wiping her eyes on the sleeve of her dressing gown.

"I'm sorry Molly," Hermione begun, but Molly put a hand up to silence her.

"Don't be," she said. "You needed to do that,"

Hermione smiled, the first true smile Molly hadn't seen for a while. "Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you for being there for me,"

"Oh it's nothing dear, just a mothers duty," Molly said before getting up and walking back over to the work-top. "I'll finish making your coffee,"

Molly tapped the kettle with her wand and a jet of steam burst out from the top, signalling that it had boiled. She poured the boiling water into the cup and it magically stirred itself. Feeling satisfied, Molly took it over to where Hermione was sitting.

"I have to thank you for something or rather someone else too," Hermione said as Molly placed the coffee in front of her.

"Oh yes?"

"Thank you for producing such a wonderful son," she said. "I know that at times he can be very stubborn and hot-tempered, but I never knew until we started dating that he had such a tender and romantic side to him," she said sighing.

"I know dear, Ron has many hidden depths to him," Molly said. "He gets that from his father," Molly added drolly. She remembered how despite completely forgetting her birthday one year and disappearing for most of the day (Molly had assumed he was avoiding her), Arthur had returned back in the evening to take her for a romantic candlelit dinner at an expensive restaurant called 'Fabio's' in Hogsmeade. She later found out that in order to be able to afford the food, Arthur had sold a few of his prized processions. Molly was rather touched that he would sell a few of his many prized 'Muggle inventions and how they work' books just for her.

"Yes that is rather true," Hermione stated. "I will never forget how he proposed,"

"Neither will I," thought Molly. Although she wasn't present when it happened, when Ginny had come home for the summer, she had borrowed Harry's pensieve and placed her own memory of the proposal in it, so that Molly and Arthur could witness the event too.

The Proposal had taken place on the seventh years last day. Molly and Arthur were standing in their daughter's dormitory, this was obviously were Ginny's memory started. A knock on the door startled them.

"Ginny? Are you ready? We have to leave in half an hour," called Hermione's voice.

Molly turned around to see a vivid red head pop up from beside a bed, her daughter, Ginny.

"I'll be a couple of more minutes! Just checking I haven't left anything under my bed," Ginny shouted back.

"Alright then, we'll wait for you in the common room,"

Molly watched Ginny as she collected a few dusty items and threw them on top of the jumble of clothes and school robes. "Really," Molly thought, "I'll have to teach her that folding spell,"

Ginny closed her trunk and began to walk over to the door with it, Molly and Arthur followed her out the door and down the Girls staircase to the common room, where Ron, Hermione and Harry were gathered in front of the fireplace.

"Finally," said an exasperated Ron, "Anyone would think you were leaving too, the amount of time it took you to pack,"

"Shut it Ronnie or you might find yourself covered in bat bogies if you're not careful," Ginny answered back.

Molly couldn't help but laugh, the two had always bantered when they were growing up and it didn't look like they would stop now.

            A long silence passed between the four, before Ginny broke the silence.

"Where are all the other seventh years?" She asked.

"Waiting down in the entrance hall," Harry replied.

"So why are we all still standing here like idiots then?"

Harry shrugged. The reason soon became clear when Hermione spoke.

"I'm going to miss this place," she said sadly. Ron and Harry murmured in agreement.

"We've shared so many memories in front of this fireplace, both good and bad. I've been looking so forward to leaving, but now that it's here I don't want too," she sighed.

Molly could sympathise with Hermione. She remembered how she felt when leaving.

"I would like something to remember the Common Room by, but we can't take anything," Hermione said.

"I think I could help you there love," Ron said.

Harry and Ginny looked at each other curiously, small smiles tugging at their lips. Molly took a sharp intake of breath and grabbed Arthur's arm, "This must be it," she thought excitedly. She watched carefully as Ron took Hermione's hands, whilst Hermione looked at him quizzically.

"Hermione Jane Granger, you are or are you not my girlfriend?" Ron asked smirking.

"Yes, I believe I am Mr Ronald Weasley," Hermione said giggling slightly.

"And have, or have we not shared many memories in front of this fireplace?"

"I was just saying that Ron, you were obviously not listening,"

"But I would like to add one more memory to that Miss Granger,"

"Oh, really now?"

Ron kneeled down on the worn heath rug on one knee, and dug his hand deep in the right pocket of his robes. He appeared to be holding something, but hid it behind his back. The look of excitement on Ginny's face told Molly all she needed to know, he was holding the ring.

"Hermione, ever since I met you, you intrigued me. Hell, I thought you were a bossy, stuck up cow when we met on the train, but there was something about you that intrigued me. I only realised what it was until you were petrified in our second year, it was, you. Since then, my feelings towards you were complicated, I was a 13 year old boy who didn't have a clue what those feelings meant, not until the Yule Ball in fourth year," Ron paused and Hermione looked on the verge of tears. "I loved you Hermione and I still do. In fact, I love you more everyday than the last and now I think it's about time I showed you how much I loved you,"

Molly stopped breathing, Ron was going to propose.

Ron brought his hands out from behind his back and held them in front of him. Slowly he opened them up to reveal a plain silver ring and brought it up to Hermione's level.

"Hermione, will you marry me?"

Hermione looked at the ring and then at Ron's face. Her own face broke into a bright smile as she answered, "Yes Ron, I will marry you!" and broke down into tears. Ron took the ring from the box and placed it onto Hermione's wedding finger. Suddenly the silver band glowed red and three words shone from it, 'I Love You'. Molly burst into tears.

 A/N: Hope you liked it! God that was a very emotional chapter to write. Please tell me what you think!


End file.
